Friday, August 10, 2012

Disproportionate response for me but not for thee

Perhaps I should rearrange the title because it’s meaning could be read two ways. It could mean either that a disproportionate response is permitted for me but not for thee, or that my actions are considered disproportionate but not yours. Of course we all know which which reading is relevant regarding Israel’s actions.

Egyptian military troops and jets killed 20 terrorists in the Sinai regionbordering Israel on Wednesday, striking back after armed men attacked several security checkpoints, an army commander in Sinai told Reuters.

“We have succeeded in entering al-Toumah village, killed 20 terrorists and destroyed three armored cars belonging to terrorists. Operations are still ongoing,” he told Reuters.

[...]

Witnesses in Sheikh Zuwayed, about 10 km (six miles) from Gaza, said they saw two military jets and heard sounds of explosions. Other witnesses in a nearby area said they saw three cars hit.

Egyptian media are reporting that the terrorists responded to the attack by firing anti-aircraft missiles at one of the apache helicopters, which eventually left the scene having escaped several downing attempts.

Meanwhile, eye witnesses told The Guardian and Arabic-language Sky News that several fighter jets are taking part in the assault. Other reports said that the attack involves four fighter jets, 30 armored vehicles and dozens of Egyptian troops

The strikes follow clashes between armed men and security forces at several security checkpoints in the Sinai region.

Armed men opened fire on several checkpoints in Arish and in the nearby town of Rafah on the border with Israel, according to a Reuters reporter and state media.

But in this incident, we have utter silence from the UN and foreign governments, and simple neutral reports from the Independent, the Guardian and so far not a word about Egypt’s response from the New York Times.